The Stage: Friday Standouts

<p>I arrived a little late for the first night of The Stage Tournament at the Draft Complex in Corona. But there was plenty of action </p> <h2>2022 standouts</h2> <h3>[player_tooltip player_id="748759" first="Alexis" last="Marmolejos"], 6-2 2022 G, Army Navy/ San Diego All Stars 17u Elite</h3> <p>Marmolejos was one of the most explosive guards on hand Friday night, but it is his improvement playing with different speeds and finishing with either hand that continues to boost his stock. He gets into the paint at will, and draws fouls at a high rate. </p> <h3>Zayn Kimbrough, 6-2 2022 G, Compass Prep (AZ)/ San Diego All-Stars</h3> <p>Kimbrough showed flashes of high level playmaking and scoring in the paint in the win over Team Zona. He is a powerful guard who is at his best playing off of two feet in the paint, where he finishes through contact or over shot blockers with nice floaters. Kimbrough is a solid passer out of the pick-and-roll, but has to become a more consistent decision maker to reach his ceiling.</p> <h3>[player_tooltip player_id="971229" first="Camden" last="McCormick"], 6-4 2022 G, Francis Parker/ Team Keenan Allen</h3> <p>McCormick showed off his ability as a shot maker in a game against LA Elite. He scored several tough midrange shots, including a really nice score off a spin move and a contested pull-up jumper, as well as hitting a three from deep. McCormick’s basketball IQ and feel are known commodities, and were also on display as he created plays for others and had several hockey assists. He really helped himself this weekend with a positive showing.</p> <h3>[player_tooltip player_id="951244" first="Rondell" last="Moore"], 6-3 2022 G, We Believe Academy (CT)/ Team Keenan Allen</h3> <p>Moore continues to be one of the most potent offensive guards in the gym (score a team high 17 points against LA Elite), but the area where he stood out Friday was his effort level on defense. He sat down and moved his feet to cut off drives and contested shots with under-control closeouts. </p> <h2>2023 standouts</h2> <h3>[player_tooltip player_id="994926" first="Angelo" last="Gil"], 6-1 2023 G, Mission Bay/ San Diego All Stars 17u Elite </h3> <p>It was Gil’s steady hand that allowed SDA to withstand an early onslaught by Team ’Zona to get the bracket play win. Gil is a strong, physical point guard who can get into the paint and finish through contact, knock down a one- and two-dribble pull-up and is improving his range from three. But it’s the intangibles - vocal leadership, motor and competitiveness - that make him so good. He’s a winner who plays winning basketball. </p> <h3>Michael McNair, 6-4 2023 SG, Linfield Christian/ Gamepoint Supreme 16u </h3> <p>McNair looks the part and has a lot of pieces you’d like to see in a D1 two guard. He’s got a long, athletic frame, fluid mechanics on his jumper off the catch and off the dribble and moves well without the basketball. The next area of his development will be to play lower, which will allow him to be more explosive attacking the basket and defending. </p> <h3>[player_tooltip player_id="1232163" first="Jared" last="Sucher"], 6-3 G, Sherwood (OR)/ International Elite</h3> <p>The long, crafty playmaker was huge down the stretch for International Elite, getting into the paint and creating open shots for perimeter shooters or bigs when the defense rotated helpside. A nice shooter himself, he knocked down shots off the pick-and roll from midrange and from deep. </p> <h3>[player_tooltip player_id="1256716" first="Nick" last="Robertson"], 6-4 SG, LaSalle (OR)/ International Elite</h3> <p>A long, armed, broad shouldered sharpshooter from deep, Robertson came off of pin downs and flares, got his feet set and knocked down shots well beyond the college three. </p> <h3>Jason Lee, 6-0 PG, Rancho Christian/ Hoop Nation</h3> <p>The crafty combo guard is shifty with the ball, which helped him get into the paint where his finishing and passing are just as crafty. A right-hand dominant playmaker, Lee is a bit streaky from three, but showed he can knock down shots from that distance. </p>